On Tuesday 16 February 2016, at the Gabonese Ministry of Sustainable Development, Economics, Investment Promotion and Future Planning in Libreville, the Directorate General of Customs and Indirect Taxes and the Directorate General of Taxation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the exchange of information for effective and efficient mobilization of budgetary revenues, and the fight against tax and Customs fraud.

The Director General of Customs and Indirect Taxes, Alain Paul NDJOUBI OSSAMY, and the Director General of Taxation, Joël OGOUMA, initialled the MOU under the stewardship of the Secretary General of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Economics, Investment Promotion and Future Planning, Thierry ABELOKO, with a view to updating and formalizing cooperation between the two administrations.

The main objectives of the MOU are:

• pooling risk management and prevention systems;
• increased monitoring of Customs and tax operations;
• combating all forms of Customs and tax fraud;
• building the capacities of staff in the two administrations.

Strengthening the framework for exchange will allow, in the short term, the development of a well-functioning information system which will provide data to the operational units of the two administrations in real time and continuously.

Exchanges of information will help limit the scope for any taxpayers who might be tempted to act outside the legal framework of the tax and Customs regulations governing commercial transactions. It will also allow the efficient mobilization of budgetary revenues.

The MOU is the culmination of rich and productive exchanges between the staff of the two administrations, with assistance and technical support from the International Monetary Fund’s AFRITAC CENTRE, as part of its backing for the reform and modernization of economic and fiscal administrations in Africa.

In his address, the Secretary General of the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Economics, Investment Promotion and Future Planning highlighted the anticipated legitimate objectives of the MOU.  He noted that this approach was part of the process of building the capacities of administrations in order to improve their economic and fiscal performance.  This was set against the background of a downturn in budgetary revenues due to the continuing decline in prices of some raw materials, and of the overriding need to maintain both public duties and investment within the framework of implementation of the Strategic Plan for an Emerging Gabon and of the objectives of the Government of the Gabonese Republic.